Would Japan still employ kamikaze tactics in a war?

Question

I know they havent engaged in battle since WWII,and they as well as Germany arent supposed to have a military anymore,but we all know thats a joke.
If Japan engaged in battle with another country,do you belive they would still use Kamikaze tactics,or is the whole "honorably dieng for a noble cause" mentality a thing of the past?

Answer 1

I'm Japanese by lineage. Born there, spent an inordinate amount of time there. Now in military service in Iraq with fellow Americans. I've been asked your question a LOT.

I suggest you go read on the Warring States Period in Japanese history. Wikipedia is a good source. Japanese battle tactics, battle philosophy, the whole "bushido" ethic comes from that era.

Having said that, the Japanese do not have the same sort of deep-seated cultural horror and stigma against suicide for reasons of honor or sacrifice for the greater good that are in other societies (particularly those with Judeo-Christian or Islamic influence, where suicide is verboten). If it is required in combat, it will happen. It is NOT a preference.

Keep in mind however that Kamikaze attacks (also called Gyokusai) were an act of desperation born of the lack of trained pilots and munitions able to stop all those carrier battle groups headed towards the Home Islands. They are NOT preference. In this day of cruise missiles, there is no sense in having a manned aircraft flying at a bare fraction of the speed taking the place of a decent antiship missile.

Read the "Kamikaze Diaries" for the human angle on the whole issue. Those pilots had loved ones. Older ones would deliberately bump younger compatriots or married comrades off their flights so they'd live longer. You can call it brainwashing. You can call it insanity. If you haven't read on it, haven't set foot in Japan, talked to someone of that era, you're not understanding it, and not qualified in the least to speak of it as some sort of moral authority.

I'm sure if I asked any of you if you all still burned witches on the stake, stoned people for adultery, or burned crosses in your backyards, you'd give me a look like I was stark raving mad. That's the equivalency when you ask a Japanese person if they still do seppuku or kamikaze. Show some enlightenment in these answers people, or if you're not capable of such, at least refrain from displaying abject ignorance on the subject.

Answer 2

No. I don't think so. Back in WWII, they think of Emperor Hirohito as a God. They revered him and didn't want to disappoint him. Now it's just a figurehead position.

Kamikaze
Transcend life and death. When you eliminate all thoughts about life and death, you will be able to totally disregard your earthly life. This will also enable you to concentrate your attention on eradicating the enemy with unwavering determination, meanwhile reinforcing your excellence in flight skills.

- A paragraph from the Kamikaze pilot's manual, located in their cockpits.


Kamikaze

"Kamikaze is a surprise attack, according to our ancient war tactics. Surprise attacks will be successful the first time, maybe two or three times. But what fool would continue the same attacks for ten months? Emperor Hirohito must have realized it. He should have said 'Stop.'

Even now, many faces of my students come up when I close my eyes. So many students are gone. Why did headquarters continue such silly attacks for ten months! Fools! Genda, who went to America -- all those men lied that all men volunteered for kamikaze units. They lied."

Answer 3

I doubt the Japanese have enough die hard citizens left who would scarify themselves now of days.

We have to remember the Kamikaze pilots didn't start until Japan was losing and in desperation its amazing what men would do for there country in time of need.

Answer 4

no they would not,,,the reason they did that in ww2 is because the people of japan were brainwashed by there goverment. The propoganda of the japannese goverment at that time took the bushito belief and turned it into something that it was not. The people of japan were also told their emperor was a living god. The power of propoganda was the reason the kamikaze attacks were used in WW2.

Answer 5

Believe it or not, not much has changed since WWII as far as war tactics. I believe that Japan would probably continue the kamikaze tactics... Orientals are crazy. (I'm Oriental, so I know this.) :-P

Answer 6

What I still fail to understand is why Kamikaze pilots wore seat belts and a helmet,, just wondering

Answer 7

During WW2, the Japanese worshipped their emperor as a god. I don't know of many that still do.
The Kamikaze mentality died with the Japanese surrender.

As far as the whole "honorably dying for a noble cause" mentality, that is precisely what you are seeing with radical Islam.

Answer 8

The Bomb, though it ushered in the nuclear age, and the cold war, was the only answer to save lives and end the war. Japan would have never surrendered without many more lives lost than were lost with the Bomb.

Answer 9

japan still has an emperor and as long as they say for you to die for your emperor, you will die for your emperor. japan may one day try and take over the world again, which is why the U.S. has bases on okinawa and various islands in the pacific. they tried taking over the world in 1592, in 1894, and in 1937, but if they do, they will be nuked

Answer 10

I don't know if your just a ignorant American or Just a troll? Why would you even ask such a silly question?

The answer is no, of course!